Fifty in Photos

Moving To A New Location

2011-01-06T08:27:00.000-08:00

It's always good to start at the beginning. As 2011 dawned, I couldn't seem to shake the feeling that something was missing in my life. And no, it wasn't God, the love of a good woman or a superlative bordeaux, although my long-term prospects would probably benefit from a generous infusion of all three. It was something I couldn't quite put my finger on and it was niggling away at me. I needed to scratch, but couldn't identify the itch. And after throwing myself into a truly intense period of both photography and filmmaking for the past year and a half, I didn't suspect for a moment that what might be missing would be a creative outlet. I realized after penning a long note to a dear friend living and working in London, that that something was writing. I missed writing. Specifically, writing for myself.

I've been blogging for a while now, starting with Boston or Bust, on January 14, 2005. The Blog was an online journal of my attempts to qualify as a middle-aged fat man for the Boston Marathon. B or B was mostly a running Blog, the pages occasionally littered with my musings about life. After I successfully qualified for Boston and ran it twice, the express purpose for the Blog seemed, well, lost. And after 654 posts, I seemed to be talking a lot more about a newfound passion, photography, than I did about marathoning. So, I decided to change gears, and I switched from Boston or Bust, to a new Blog, Fifty in Photos.

Like its predecessor, Fifty in Photos was launched at the start of 2010. I suspect I have a weakness for resolutions, goal setting and clean slates, all of which seem pertinent and fresh early in a new year. The new Blog was going to focus (pun intended) on photography and was meant to chronicle my attempt at a 365 photography project. A picture a day for an entire year. The Blog was meant to not only post a new image every day, but to talk about it. The attempt failed. In retrospect, it was a far larger undertaking in terms of time than I had expected, but the biggest wrench in the works was a complete failure of my computer system several months into 2010. In the midst of shooting a film, an extended trip, and other work (never mind life), it was the final straw. And it took me six weeks to get my new system up and running. So Fifty in Photos died an ignominious death after a mere 128 posts (granted, the average Blog dies an ignoble death after six posts, but I digress). Granted, no good craftsman ever blames his failures on his tools, but then again, no one ever won a Grand Prix race after the wheels fell off their car. Regardless, despite the fact that I fell behind in my blogging, I actually DID take at least one photograph a day from January 1 until late September. And this was after I had spent much of August and September on a photo safari in Africa where I took some twenty thousand images. And this time, my lap top died when the logic board fried itself and I drowned three lenses and left my iPhone 4 in a canola field in South Africa.

But one day in Paris as I was about to leave the house, I paused, and I thought about it, and I just decided, "to Hell with it". And my 365 project ended just like that. I had one or two twinges, but no real regrets. It's not like I was a twenty-something slacker drifting through 2010 with no real purpose.

In 2010 I was at enrolled in the Commercial Photography Certificate Program at Langara College. I did more than a dozen photography workshops and seminars during the course of the year. I took over a hundred thousand frames. I won the Rock 101 Olympic Photography Contest. One of my photographs was picked for a book on East Vancouver. One of my iPhone images won a prize from an online Adorama photography contest. I shot The Tattoo Project as both a documentary film and as a photography project, and we had a rather spectacular Gallery Exhibit and Calendar. I ran two marathons. And I traveled to Mexico, Cuba, Panama, the Queen Charlotte Islands, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, England, France, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

What do I want to write about now? I'm not sure. I just know that I want to write and I suspect that on a much deeper level, I need to write. Behold, the birth of, "A Man of a Certain Vintage".

Ta-Dumb!

2010-06-21T15:36:00.000-07:00

Geez, it only took me four visits to the Apple store, five calls to Apple Care, and six weeks to solve my computer dilemma; upgrade my iMac, restore my back-up, figure out my monitors and consolidate my digital workflow. Woo-hoo! Love the digital age!

I of course no longer have any excuse not to begin catching up on the last seven weeks of my Blogs and begin posting some of the ten thousand frames I shot in the meantime.

The Tattoo Protect: Body. Art. Image.

2010-05-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

15 photographers, 3 days & LOTS OF INK.

A celebration of the art of tattooing, its rich history and its extraordinary visual power and social significance.

This Is A Unique Opportunity For You to Get Fine Art of Your Own Body Art.

Join us on May 22 + 23 + 24 to Celebrate Tattoo Culture in Vancouver and have YOUR tattoos photographed by some of Vancouver's Top Photographers. YOU get an 11 x 14 Fine Art Print and MORE!
Interested? Here are the details:

If you are over 18 (proof of age required) Vancouver Photo Workshops will be holding Casting Calls every Friday between now and the May 22 & 23 photography sessions, the Saturday and Sunday of the May Long Weekend.

Vancouver Photo Workshops, 14 West 7th Street, between Ontario and Manitoba, two blocks north of Broadway and west of Main Street, Tel: 778.898.5256 - see map

What kind of tattoos are we looking for?

If you are a professional tattoo artist, burlesque performer, pin-up girl or rockabilly, we want to see you and your tattoos.

If you think your body art is an example of the rich history and traditions of tattoo culture we would like to see your ink, whether you are 18 or 85.

If you are a tattooed couple, we want to see you.

If you are a tattooed family, we want to see you.

We are looking for real people with extensive tattooing, full sleeves and body suits, or unique one-of-a-kind extraordinary pieces of custom tattoo art.

We are looking for examples of traditional tattooing that was done in Vancouver by tattoo artists such as Doc Forbes and Curly Allen, or traditional "Old School" tattoos that were inked during the 1940's, 50's and 60's.

We are also looking for models, male and female, with tattoos. We are looking for examples of indigenous tribal tattooing. We are looking for bikers and babes, doctors and lawyers, and rare and unique examples of body art.

Bring us your best tattoos!

Every participant who is chosen for this tattoo art project will receive a signed 11 x 14 fine art print suitable for framing, in color or black & white, depending upon the style of work, by the participating photographers, many of whom are published artists and whose Limited Edition Fine Art Prints sell for more than a thousand dollars. A model release must be signed and each participant will receive an honorarium of $25.00. Participants whose images are chosen for the book, will also receive a copy of the book, signed by all the photographers involved in the project. Hair, make-up and styling will be provided on site during the actual shoot. Coffee, water and refreshments will be provided. Most participants will be photographed in one to two hours, and you will be given a scheduled time for your photography session.

For more information:

follow VPW on Twitter

Vancouver Photo Workshops 14 West 7th Avenue Vancouver, BC 778.898.5256Marc@VancouverPhotoWorkshops.com (office)
Mkoegel@mac.com (direct)

May 2, Sunday - The BMO Vancouver Marathon (gag!)

2010-05-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

This was my tenth Vancouver Marathon. A month ago I seriously f**ked up a couple of toes and missed one long training run - 35K. By the halfway point of the Vancouver Marathon I would have cut them off if given a dull spoon...

But little Ms. Melissa Frickes ran an amazing first marathon. Even through four hours of rain. 5:26, from someone who before January 1 had NEVER RUN BEFORE!

This was my 28th marathon and tenth straight Vancouver Marathon. Had to keep the streak alive.

The Vancouver Marathon was SO badly organized that the Race Director should be taken out and publicly flogged.

WORST VANCOUVER MARATHON EVER. It sucked. But only in terms of organization. The runners and volunteers and spectators are always great, which is what makes them all being RIPPED-OFF so badly by the BMO -- Bank of Montreal -- Vancouver Marathon so egregious. Year after year after year they do this because they're in it for the money and NOT for the runners. Don't think this is the case? How about these FACTS?

They actually ran out of cups for water water at THREE water stations.

Not enough Porta Potties. Not near enough. Until the END of the race that is. WE should all shit on the Race Director and the Corporate Sponsors.

Worst food for after a marathon that I HAVE EVER SEEN. Cheap crap. No bagels, or yogurt, or chocolate milk or any kind of recovery drink. Absolute CRAP. Nothing with a little protein in it to aide a runner in recovering from a marathon that was run in cold, wet conditions. What a shocking surprise to have conditions like that in Vancouver!

As usual CRAP race gear and one of the worst marathon shirts EVER... Gag! That's me puking....

This was mere months after Vancouver crowed to the world about what a world-class city we were as we hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Bullshit.

And for the privelege of this cluster- f**k, I paid $141.63.

The Volunteers, as always were great. If you are the Race Director, or have a paid position with the Vancouver Marathon, or if you are an OFFICIAL corporate sponsor of the 2010 BMO -- Bank of Montreal -- Vancouver Marathon you are officially AN ASSHOLE because you don't care or give two shits about the actual runners.

Facebook Album - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=220296&id=706271404&l=8a5a561c0b

Panasonic Lumix - shock and water proof!

-- Vince Hemingson

May 2, Sunday - BMO Vancouver Marathon - Number 10 in a Row

2010-05-03T09:13:00.003-07:00

May 1, Saturday - BMO Vancouver Marathon

2010-05-03T09:13:00.001-07:00

I picked up my BMO (Bank of Montreal) Vancouver Marathon race package today. I am number 582. Crazy day.

iPhone

Vince Hemingson

April 30, Friday - The Grapes Speak to Me

2010-05-03T09:12:00.003-07:00

One of my favorite visual delights....

iPhone

- Vince Hemingson

April 29, Thursday - The Garden Project

2010-05-03T09:12:00.001-07:00

The dirt arrives! The slate is laid!

That's my Mom on the right.

- Vince Hemingson

April 28, Wednesday - The Old Lion

2010-05-03T09:11:00.003-07:00

The wind was howling today. This battered dandelion reminded me of an old lion with a tattered mane. In other words, me. I ache head to toe....

iPhone Vince Hemingson

April 27, Tuesday - Back Lane Beauty

2010-05-03T09:11:00.001-07:00

The wisteria and clematis in bloom always brighten my mood. I stop every morning to smell the lilacs.

iPhone

Vince hemingson

April 26, Monday - Road to Nowhere

2010-05-03T09:10:00.005-07:00

I can't remember when I have been driving around so much. I am also going through a period of deep depression which I can not really explain, but the "black dog", or depression, runs through my family and I am experiencing some of the highest levels of chronic pain that I have endure in quite some time. It may be due in part to the high mileage I am running as the Vancouver marathon gets close, I have often had similar experiences before other marathons, and my back has been flaring up.

My house is a nightmare as i have largely abandoned house work. It is all writing and photography and work. This lack of pacing is something I will have to address or it will come back to haunt me.

iPhone

Vince Hemingson

April 25, Sunday - Petal Power

2010-05-03T09:10:00.003-07:00

It occurs to me that I have rather strange photographic predilections. It would seem as if I am most interested in taking shots of flowers, abandoned junk in back alleys and women in various stages of dress and undress, preferably naked. I wonder what this says about me....

Apple iPhone 3Gs

Vince Hemingson

April 24, Saturday - The Garden Project Branches Out

2010-05-03T09:10:00.001-07:00

Day by Day, Kersten Orr from Artemisia Garden Designs is transforming a neighbourhood. Glenys' house -- her home -- is going to have a stunning front entrance when "The Garden Project" is completed. Adrian and Pete are like a force of nature, moving soil and concrete and wood around, bending it to their will, as inexorable as the advance of a glacier (at least glaciers before global warming!).

Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm zoom lens.

Vince Hemingson

April 23, Friday - The Garden Project Grows

2010-05-03T09:09:00.005-07:00

Slammed with other work, Glenys' Garden Project became my de facto destination photo of the day. Kersten Orr from Artemisia Garden design and her workforce, Master Carpenters Adrian and Pete, were just a joy to be around. The consummate professionals and it was inspiring to see their level of craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Nikon D700 and the Nikon 24-70mm zoom lens.

Vince Hemingson

April 22, Thursday - Moving Day

2010-05-03T09:09:00.003-07:00

You can tell when moving day approaches in my hood. The back lanes fill with debris. This is a shot of someone dumping out what was probably a junk drawer. Again, a piece of collage art. I didn't alter a single piece. Photographed in situ.

iPhone

Vince Hemingson

April 20 and April 21, Tuesday and Wednesday - Glitches

2010-05-03T09:09:00.001-07:00

I had to combine these two post, but the picture were taken as per a 365 project with a photo taken on separate and consecutive days. My computer crashed, my back-up crashed, and I actually thought I had lost the data from the 21st. A day I took two hundred pictures!

Vince Hemingson

April 19, Monday - Beauty Takes Many Forms

2010-05-03T09:08:00.003-07:00

Beauty comes in all forms, gardens and women...

Vince Hemingson

April 18, Sunday - The Garden Project Takes Shape

2010-05-03T09:08:00.001-07:00

Amazing how much concrete gets poured to make a foundation...

Love the wide-angle end of the Nikon 24-70mm zoom lens.

Vince Hemingson

April 17, Saturday - The Inner Life of a Tulip

2010-05-03T09:07:00.003-07:00

I love the other-worldly look of the inside of plants when you get in close.

Vince Hemingson

April 16th, Friday - The Garden Project and a Wish

2010-05-03T09:07:00.001-07:00

It's fascinating to see a concept and a drawing on a piece of paper make the transformation from two dimensions to three.

Glenys is the talk of her neighbourhood and every car that goes by slows to take a look.

The lilacs are coming into bloom, and the smell? Rapture.

iPhone and Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm zoom lens.

Vince Hemingson

April 15th, Thursday - Blue

2010-05-03T09:03:00.001-07:00

I love spring.

iPhone

Vince Hemingson

April 14th, Wednesday - The Garden Project

2010-05-03T09:02:00.003-07:00

The Garden Project is taking place in East Vancouver, which takes me a bit out of my way every day to document this extraordinary transformation. But it is too good a photographic project NOT to do.

Story of my life!

Nikon D700 and the Nikon 24-70mm zoom lens.

April 13th, Tuesday - Pink and the Garden Project

2010-05-03T09:01:00.001-07:00

The hydrangeas are blooming -- at least in the garden stores, and I am beginning a photo montage of my good friend Glenys' Garden Project. Kersten Orr of Artemisia Garden Design has come up with the most amazing plan for Glenys' front garden that I could ever imagine. An amazing talent.

iPhone and Nikon D700 with Nikon 24-70mm zoom lens.

Vince Hemingson

April 12th, Monday - Fashion Shoot

2010-05-03T08:59:00.003-07:00

A beauty and glamour shoot. Cecelia was a lovely model. Make-up Artist Mary Ann Richardson did her usual amazing job, and what can you say about Wayne Hoecherl's lighting? Wayne is a Lighting Artist. Just the best.

Nikon D700 and multiple Nikon Lenses.

-- Vince hemingson

April 11th, Sunday - Spring Blooms

2010-05-03T08:59:00.001-07:00

Last October I planted a few hundred bulbs in front of my crappy-looking apartment building. It's good for your heart and soul to surround yourself with beautiful things.

Nikon D700 and Nikon 70-180mm Macro Zoom Lens. An epic piece of optical engineering.

-- Vince Hemingson

April 10th, Saturday - Lariat

2010-05-03T08:58:00.003-07:00

I worked for a couple of Ford dealerships in my early thirties while I was a screenwriter because I had a new wife and a new house and a bank manager who wanted to see a source of monthly income before he would give me a new mortgage.

So I worked morning or afternoon shifts selling cars and trucks, and then I went home and worked on my screenplays. I could not however, deny my basic nature. I am a little competitive. In my first month selling cars I was the number three salesmen, in my second month I was number two, and by my third month of selling cars, I sold more cars than any other salesman.

My Sales Manager switched dealerships and lured me away with promises of more pay and a better commute. Brown Bros. Ford was the largest Ford Dealership in Canada. It was like being called up to the big leagues. In three months I was again the number one salesman who sold more cars than anyone else during the course of the month. And at Brown Bros., you got a plaque and a big cash bonus.

After a grand total of six months in the car business I got asked to become one of the Sales managers and run a crew of six sales-people. So much for it being a part-time job. I loved it and I hated it. I hated not throwing myself into it with everything I had. But I hated the time it took away from my writing even more.

In the end a freak accident that ultimately led to back-surgery made the decision for me. I was out of the car business. Newly divorced and flat on my back, the only thing I had left was writing.

But I never lost my love of old Ford pick-up trucks. It might be the most perfect vehicle ever created for a man. And the Lariat? Now that's a Logo.

Apple iPhone 3Gs.

-- Vince Hemingson

April 9th, Friday - Twilight

2010-05-03T08:58:00.001-07:00

After an exhausting week it was nice to just spend some time with friends in West Vancouver. English Bay at twilight is magical even with an iPhone.

-- Vince Hemingson

April 8th, Thurday - Nathalie

2010-05-03T08:57:00.001-07:00

My friend Toranj called me out of the blue and asked me if I knew of some studio space she could shoot a model in, and a place where she could set up lights. Hah! Did I know?

Nathalie was stunning, the hair and make-up by Mary Ann Richardson was fabulously beautiful and the lighting by Wayne Hoecherl was brilliant beyond belief. I used my new Hensel Porty packs and beauty dish with multiple layers of diffusion. WE used Keeno Flows and the Big China Ball. It was heavenly.

I love working with Toranj and Way and Mary Ann and I LOVE the space at VPW.

Toranj shot so many pectures she had to borrow a card from me. I've shot a dozen times with Toranj and that has never happened before. Great lighting and an amazing models just makes you keep pulling the trigger.

NIkon D700 and Nikon D3s and multiple lenses.

-- Vince Hemingson

April 7th, Wednesday - Tunnel Vision

2010-05-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

Driving home in the rain, this image fascinated me.

Apple iPhone #Gs.

-- Vince Hemingson

April 6th, Tuesday - Big Blue

2010-05-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

I love the back lanes of my hoods. It fascinates me what people will throw away, or how they will arrange their junk in the alleys. Some of them look like conceptual pieces at the Museum of Modermn Art in New York (MoMA), on e of my favorite places.

Monday, April 5th - Communication Meltdown!

2010-05-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Wow! Nearly a whole month has gone by. Dear readers, I plead for your kind understanding as this has been the month of the great technological meltdown. At various times I have had to visit the Apple store on multiple occasions to address issues with my iPhone, my iMac and my iIncompetence.

I may have the worst digital workflow work habits in the history of photography.

I essentially choked an iMac 24" with a terabyte of memory and three terabytes of back-up with the fifty thousand plus pictures I have taken since the beginning of the year and Fifty in Photos.

I do not edit enough, organize enough or collate and file enough. I DO take enough photos!

In my own defense, I also had to put together my end of semester portfolio for Advanced Studio Lighting. I joined a photography studio co-op and I am doing numerous projects at Vancouver Photo Workshops.

But on some days I simply could not download files because my poor little iMac was filled to the gunnels with "stuff".

Thank God, for times codes and camera data. I have not missed a day, so here comes a month!

I loved this alien-looking plant and snapped it well out walking the dogs. I also spent all day Monday going through my Nude Worlshop images with Syx at VPW.

-- Vince Hemingson

Sunday, April 4 - If Nude is Good, More Nude is Better

2010-04-05T16:55:00.000-07:00

Thank you Syx and all the models for a great, great weekend.

The VPW Fine Art Nude Seminar nearly killed me, but this is the way I wanna go.

Nikon D700 and Nikon D3s, and a host of Nikon Lenses.

-- Vince Hemingson

Saturday, April 3 - Nude is Good

2010-04-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

Feeling sorry for myself, almost unable to walk, in anguish at being unable to run 35K to Deep Cove on Sunday, I decided to do the next most stupid thing that came to mind.

With my foot in agony and unable to weight bear, it somehow made sense to do a weekend seminar, standing on concrete for eight hours a day and lugging around fifty pounds of camera equipment on an already sore and stiff back. Did I mention earlier that I am a moron?

Nikon D700 and D3s and multiple Nikon lenses.

-- Vince "the Moron" Hemingson

Friday, April 2 - I'm an Ass

2010-04-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

I'm an ass. Enough said. Not good to run 35k on. Not a smart thing to do one month before a marathon.

Apple 3Gs iPhone.

Thursday, Celtic Empire and April Fool's Day

2010-04-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

I shot these for my good friend Rudi at http://www.CelticEmpire.com

Shot on my Nikon D700 and Nikon 70-180mm Macro Zoom Lens.

My back was in agony already, from the night before.

-- Vince Hemingson

Wednesday, March 31 - Langara Hard Light Shoot

2010-04-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do a shoot with some with some very hard light and some very hot models. There's no denying that I looked to Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts for a little inspiration. Homage or rip-off. Kevin, Nicolette and Selma were absolutely wonderful models with a great sense of humour and fun. Patient and professional beyond belief. Sometimes it was tough to grab shots between the guffaws. The toughest part was that we shot this in the Langara Library, surrounded by students and Security Guards.

The worst part was that we only had two hours to shoot and four shooters.

LucyAnne was an amazing, astonishing and inspiring make-up artist. Then again, the same goes for the models. Still trying to figure out why some of my Lightroom conversions are dropping their adjustments when I export them to my desk-top.... Doh! I'm the Homer Simpson of photography... Shot with my Nikon D3s and D700 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lenses.

The staff at Langara College are a bunch of f**king a**holes because we weren't allowed to shoot in the Student Union Building. Instead, we had to hump a four hundred pound couch half a mile into the Library to do our shoot. On top of my five hundred dollar f**king fee to take Advanced Studio Lighting -- in which I have learned ZERO lighting set-ups -- on this particular night I paid FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS for three models and one of the best make-up artists I have ever worked with. Unlike Langara, all of the industry whose time I paid for were complete and utter professionals.

Oh, and the SUB that was supposed to be locked up tight at seven and off-limits. As we carried equipment past at 9:30 it was filled with f**king custodial staff sitting on the sofas and drinking f**king coffee.

Oh, and I F**KING LOVE being told at Langara -- where every single F**KING class starts late, that I have to pack up my gear and F**K-OFF at exactly 9:31 PM. You f**kers know who you and you suck c**k.

Check out the rest of my set on Flickr. -- Vince Hemingson

* Author's Note: Written on a mixture of prescription pain-killer and alcohol.

Feeking (if Irish), Fooking (if Scots) LIFE!

2010-04-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

I have been taking a picture every single F**King day. I have a Blog and a picture for ever single day of freakin' 2010.

I also got drunk earlier this week, made the usual horse's ass of myself and broke or at least seriously pranged a couple of toes. A bannister was involved. Yes, I really and truly am a complete and utter idiot.

Falstaff and every other fool has nothing on me.

I canceled my 35K run on Sunday. Unable to actually walk, rather than resting and bored out of me skull, I spent the entire weekend lugging around equipment.

My back pain is now so bad I can not see straight or stand erect. Stop it! I said stand!

I did a bunch of major shoots this past week.

I will talk about it later.

It hurts so much to sit and write this, that my eyes are involuntarily watering with tears.....

Vince the Moron

Tuesday, March 30th - Restraint

2010-04-02T16:57:00.000-07:00

Restraint is an interesting subject. Be it in the context of photography, composition, consumption, morality, sex play, character or in simply voicing one's opinion, restraint can have many connotations. I have often been advised to exercise a little more restraint, in just about every setting and situation one can imagine in life. You might even say I'm a little unrestrained. I am after all, given to wearing kilts as often as possible. And in the traditionally and customarily unrestrained manner.

While it can be argued that restraint, and the control implicit in the meaning of the word, can be a good thing, generally speaking I lean more to the exercising of one's passion. About the only time I actually practice restraint is when running a marathon (and then it is restrained fury) and when in the act of drinking, when I know that at some future point in the evenings proceedings I may be getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. And given my predilections for a general lack of restraint, I often avail myself of the services of a taxi. Or a couch. Or the floor.

In photography, about the only time I restrain myself is when another photographer is shooting. Stop laughing out there, I know who you are! Sometimes, just watching a scene unfold, I have to walk away from the scene to keep my passions and excitement in check. And to keep the models from laughing. And I certainly try to restrain myself from shooting when another photographer is in the process of taking pictures. Usually.

On the other hand, I rarely exercise restraint when in the presence of stupidity, bullies and incompetence. Generally speaking, at that point, I have to speak up.

I have spent enough time being serious about photography in the past few years to have acquired quite a few friends who actually work in the photography business. Not just professional photographers, but sellers and re-sellers, retailers, rental staff, camera reps and agents, repair staff, and a huge number of people who aide the photographers themselves, production and camera assistants and stylists and hair and make-up people, not to even mention all the instructors I've had over the years.

The vast majority of these people are in the photography business not just because it's a job and it helps pay the rent (and sometimes it doesn't) but because they have a real passion for the art and the act of creation and the joy of collaborating with like-minded individuals. But sometimes, you have to work with people you don't necessarily care for, and sometimes you have to actually work at a trade show. I've worked trade shows. I can tell you one thing unequivocally about trade shows. When working in a booth at a trade show you will inevitably be approached by a moron and this is the part that kills -- because you are in a booth, representing your product and your company -- you are effectively trapped and cut-off from all means of escape.

The moron in question, who is almost inevitably a male of a certain vintage, will invariably be an expert and he will waste no time in regaling you with the vast store of his self-proclaimed expertness. You will want to die. You will probably be polite, because you are there to man the booth. And represent the company. And because you're a stand up guy, you ride for the brand. You're decent and loyal and you believe in what you sell. The booth might as well be a fox hole. There is no where to run and no where to hide. The smile on your face will quickly become a frozen grimace. If a grenade bounced into your booth, you would fall on it in an instant, just to stop the voice of the moron. Unless of course you could drop it down the front of the pants of the moron in front of you. If you had a gun you would kill yourself. Why yourself? Because at a trade show you can't kill the morons in your booth. First, it's bad form and probably impolite. Secondly, the place would be emptied as quickly as the ammunition lasted. Because yes, many of the people who go to these trade show are, in fact, morons.

The worst part is, cordoned off in your booth with no hope of escape, you will see your adversary approaching you with grim determination. He will have the plastic bag handed out by the trade show filled with every free give-away he could get his grasping, avaricious little paws on, until its bulging contents threaten to burst out. He will be waddling slightly, because you can nearly guarantee he is on the Atkins diet, he will be sweating, he will have BO and halitosis and if the trade show is about camera gear, he will be wearing a hat and a vest.

His name is probably something like "Barry", and his hat will probably even say something he considers witty and brilliant, like "Barry the Photographer". And his vest will match and it too will say, "Barry the Photographer". And then Barry will start in by telling you that he knows everything that there is to know about cameras and lenses and he will then explain how if your company just took his suggestions, your product could be vastly improved, because frankly, in Barry's honest opinion your product is terrible and he felt duty-bound to come over and tell you that himself in person, because that's the kind of guy Barry is. He will even confide to you that all the major industry players consult with him, because of the reverence and awe with in which they hold his vast knowledge of photography and his technical mastery of lenses and optical engineering. And you will smile and be polite, and you will die a little inside, because that is what you do at trade shows, but you will also never be able to forget a name like "Barry the Photographer".

Then one day, out of curiosity if nothing else, and a mysterious craving to know just who this brilliant photographer is, this technical wunderkind, this optical wizard, this maestro of the photons, you will do a Google search for "Barry the Photographer". And then you will see this....

http://barrythephotographer.com/wedding7.html

And you will marvel at how many technical errors that there can actually be in one photograph. And then you will notice a stranger walking through the background of the picture, like a scene out of a Fellini movie (see yellow flowers). And then you realize that perhaps the groom isn't actually a Hobbit and the Bride, well, why would you even frame a bride so that she is completely distorted? And then you will not be able to help yourself, and you will have to share your pain and wonderment with your fellow photographer and friend, Vince.

And like you, Vince will not believe that this is not an elaborate April Fool's joke, and like you Vince will go through the rest of Barry the Photographer's photos and become more and more astonished that Barry the Master Wedding Photographer is also Barry the Master Pet Photographer. But Barry likes the fact that he doesn't really have to be a Master Per Photographer, because in his own words, "They seem to understand they are being photographed and will usually pose for us."

http://barrythephotographer.com/pet4.html

But unlike you, after you tell Vince about how Barry treated you at your trade show, Vince will not exercise any restraint and Vince will e-mail Barry the Photographer with a few pointed criticisms. But because Vince also deeply cares about photography, people getting married and pets, he will offer Barry the Photographer the helpful URL Link to Amherst Media, where Barry can purchase some reasonably-priced books that will help Barry understand important photographic concepts like exposure, focus, white balance, composition and the proper use of a camera flash. Histograms might be pushing it.

That e-mail might sound something like this....

Wow! I haven't seen this many hippos since my last trip to Africa.

How is possible for you to sleep at night when you make women look this bad on what is supposed to be the single most magical, beautiful and romantic day of their lives?

And you actually take money from these people?

When all else fails, try reading a book...

http://www.amherstmedia.com/

...and stop being such a pompous, self-righteous, self-important hack.

And Barry the Photographer, who shows admirable restraint when it comes to learning how to use his camera equipment properly, will demonstrate the kind of restraint he uses when haranguing product reps at trade shows and reply:

Its very clear you have no idea who you are emailimg with crap like that .I was taking photo while you were bouncing from one ball to another trying hard not to be a bas____. you don't want to go there it is a dark and dangerous place
=

I still have no idea what the bouncing balls are about. And I do confess, I was a little mean. So I now offer a public apology to Barry the Photographer. And the people and pets he photographs.

As for the veiled threat? It's pretty clear from Barry's photography and his website that the only dark and dangerous place is right in front of his camera lens.

But I will try harder in the future to restrain myself.

--Vince Hemingson

Monday, March 29 - The Night Life

2010-03-31T08:31:00.000-07:00

Some people talk about the Monday morning blues, but after a frank and open discussion with some of Vancouver's best fashion industry insiders; stylists, hair and make-up and a no-holds barred business practices review, I was left with with the Monday evening blues. The evening ended with a couple of bottles of exceptional wine being consumed. But not as satisfying as it should have been. Maybe still a little leg-weary from Sunday's long run that I didn't do nearly slow enough. Doh!

Friday night, PhotoHaus, the commercial photography and photography gallery divisions of Vancouver Photo Workshops had an open house for professional photographers and industry insiders. Let's be honest, my invitation from one of the instructors was an act of kindness and charity because I am certainly no insider and no professional. I met a lot of fascinating people and a few old friends, including several instructors from other courses, seminars and workshops I have taken.

The theme was pretty similar in nearly every conversation. People doing what they love and endlessly scrambling to find ways to do it Vancouver. Doing more than one kind of photography to make ends meet. Shooting and teaching. Shooting and having another job or, in some cases, even another career. Photography can be a cruel mistress.

I bought two amazing Holga fine-art prints from Rachelle Fox because I love her work and because she is moving to Montreal to be close to the East Coast where both Galleries and art buyers value the work she does. That's kind of a depressing statement about Vancouver, a city that squandered billions and billions of dollars on the Winter Olympics so we could be perceived by the rest of the world as a "world-class" city, but we can't even support our own artists. How provincial of us....

I have huge respect for Rachelle, not only for her talent and her critical skills (she pulls no punches) but because in some ways, she helped me win the Rock 101 Olympic Photo Contest. It was immediately after taking her ten night, "Night Photography Course" just prior to the Olympics that I really stepped up my shooting and skill level.

Monday night's class discussion just drove the point home even further. As with anything, the key to being successful as a professional is to be professional. And like horse-shit in the road, or dog crap on the streets of Paris, you just have to learn to walk around the turds.

Panasonic Lumix. Night shots in honour of Rachelle.

-- Vince Hemingson

Sunday, March 28th - From the Outhouse to the Penthouse

2010-03-28T23:43:00.000-07:00

I started the day by leaving my pace group -- I hate hilly, muddy, root-invested, puddle-riddled trails for "recovery runs" -- especially with my bad back and recent bout of severe back pain. So, I took off on my own.

Before I knew it I had cranked out nearly twenty miles at a truly foolish pace.

A quick lunch and a shower and it was off to do some key-shifting at Langara. After the last critique disaster (IMHO) I was in no mood to piss around. I was there to shot and get some shots and learn something. I wasn't going to dick around with anybody. If my time was going to be wasted, I was going to leave. Period.

Call it exhaustion, but the positive attitudes of my shooting partners rubbed off on me, and in short order we had a great day. It was a blast. I still had a truck full of wardrobe and we made full use of it - nnika and Kevin were totally professional models. Strikingly attractive human beings, and with a sense of humour and fun to go along with their amazing good looks.

Maybe it was the tired legs or low-blood sugar, but I didn't bring much new imagination to my shots. But maybe more importantly, I really had fun with my fellow group of shooters. And as a team, we really pulled together. It was a great day.

Nikon D700 and Nikon D3s, and 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lenses.

Vince Hemingson

Saturday, March 27th - Nordic Blue

2010-03-28T01:44:00.000-07:00

I've been spoiled by the shooting at the Vancouver Photo Workshops, the lighting set-ups, the quality of the models, the working conditions and the environment.. I've even been spoiled by Langara. I signed up for a full one-day fashion shoot that for $200 promised the following; at least ten models, one of whom would be pregnant, body painting and full hair and make-up. What did we actually get? Six or seven women, two men, no body paint, no pregnant model. In other words, we got ripped off.

Ten days to go before the shoot, half my money was refunded. The shoot was cut back to three hours. They started fifteen minutes late. The lighting systems, or more accurately the lack thereof, were a complete and utter joke. They were using mono-blocks and Home Depot halogen lights. I'm not kidding. "Ambient light" was a big selling point. I can get ambient light in the alley behind my f**king house. The mono blocks didn't work properly and weren't synced. I have better lights at home. Seriously.

The models... Well, to be kind, they were working for free. Or, in other words TFP. Time (or Trade) For Prints. Bet they get some killer shots for their Portfolio from the GWC's with their D50s and Canon Rebels. One of the models I had worked with before. She was bombarded with sweating, greasy little GWC's in bad trucker hats. You can't make this shit up. They were shooting portraits with their built in, on-camera flashes. Gary Fong Light Spheres were very popular. As were LumiQuest diffusers. One guy said he couldn't justify the sixty dollars to spend on a LumiQuest. Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.

Two of the models were seriously overweight. I like curvaceous. I like shooting pin-up and glamour. Burlesque babes are fabulous. Marilyn Monroe was a size 14. But these poor girls were poured into outfits that just made them look bad. It was gross incompetence and desperation on the part of the event promoter. Several of the models had skin so bad that pancake make-up couldn't conceal their blemishes. Can you say Photo Shop marathon?

The other photographers? Out of the ten, there were actually two I had worked with before in other workshops. Like me they were shaking their heads. The rest. Brutal. The lighting set up was using on-camera flashes to trigger the mono-blocks. There was zero shooting etiquette. The models were young and inexperienced. Faced with four, five, six and even at one point seven photographers all shooting at once they were like deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming semi. Flashes were going off all over. Great shots were captured I am sure. The guy in the trucker hat had such bad BO it made you want to gag. You can't make this stuff up.

It was a cluster f**k. After an hour of ludicrousness, I decided I would rather spend the afternoon with friends, so I packed up my gear and left.

The worst part? The jerk who got all the models to work for free and ripped everyone else for at least a hundred dollars was using the event to shoot for himself. He kept disappearing with the best models and left a disaster in his wake. A real class act. And he plans to make these disasters a regular event.

The best irony of all? He calls his company Great Taste Photography.

Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens.

-- Vince Hemingson

Friday, March 26th - Photo Haus Gallery Reception

2010-03-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

On Friday night I went to the Vancouver Photo Workshops Commercial Photography Division Gallery Reception. It was great running into some of my favorite instructors over the past two years. Many of the instructors hung their fine art work. Much of it was heart-aching beautiful and original and truly inspirational for an aspiring photographer.

I went into the bathroom and for some reason became fascinated with the porcelain sink. I whipped out my Apple 3Gs iPhone. Somehow, it made sense at the time...

Apple 3Gs iPhone. By the way, this amazingly bright, funny and gorgeous photographer had a Louis Vuitton iPhone case. I can't even begin to explain this, but I want one. Go figure.

-- Vince Hemingson

Thursday, March 25th - Still Life Shutter Drag Redux - Plan B

2010-03-27T23:48:00.000-07:00

As with my "The Daughter's Devil" series, I was using shutter drag for this series of photos. I did this exercise over two days, Wednesday and Thursday and think that I managed to get three or maybe four good shots out of about five hundred. One out of a hundred. That's pretty much what I try for, and I was chuffed to bits when I saw today's Blog by Thom Hogan saying he was happy to get one good shot out of every seventy-six attempts!
"Mar 23 (commentary)--It seems that my 1 in 76 frames comment in the Steller Blur notes (currently above but will be gone when this rolls over to the 2010 News page) has provoked a number of "thank yous."

Why? Because it appears that some of you (used to) think that pros just go out and shoot 100% keepers. A good pro will generally have a higher keeper rate than a good amateur, but it's still not 100%. And that's for "normal" shooting. Throw in an animal moving randomly and an attempt to do something aggressive like pan blur, and the keeper rate for even the best pro will be low. If I recall correctly, Art Wolfe used to say that he shot hundreds of rolls of film (thousands of shots, perhaps more than ten thousand) to get the 125 images for his book Rhythms of the Wild."

So don't be afraid to try new techniques and fail at them. I failed 75 times before I got something I liked. Actually, I failed 450 times and got 3 images I liked. And yes, it took me longer to get the first interesting image than the second or third. Practice works. That's why I do it as much as possible.

Nikon D3s and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. Hand held and remote triggered SB 800 and SB 900 Speedlights.

Exposures were anywhere from 1.3 seconds to four seconds, hand-held.

Wednesday's shots were at night under one set of ambient light conditions, Thursday morning's shots were under another set of ambient light conditions -- early morning window light. And on Thursday morning I tried some really long hand-held exposures, five seconds and more.

-- Vince Hemingson

Wednesday, March 24th - Still Life, Shutter Drag

2010-03-27T23:39:00.000-07:00

As with my "The Daughter's Devil" series, I was using shutter drag for this series of photos. I did this exercise over two days, Wednesday and Thursday and think that I managed to get three or maybe four good shots out of about five hundred. One out of a hundred. That's pretty much what I try for, and I was chuffed to bits when I saw today's Blog by Thom Hogan saying he was happy to get one good shot out of every seventy-six attempts!

"Mar 23 (commentary)--It seems that my 1 in 76 frames comment in the Steller Blur notes (currently above but will be gone when this rolls over to the 2010 News page) has provoked a number of "thank yous."

Why? Because it appears that some of you (used to) think that pros just go out and shoot 100% keepers. A good pro will generally have a higher keeper rate than a good amateur, but it's still not 100%. And that's for "normal" shooting. Throw in an animal moving randomly and an attempt to do something aggressive like pan blur, and the keeper rate for even the best pro will be low. If I recall correctly, Art Wolfe used to say that he shot hundreds of rolls of film (thousands of shots, perhaps more than ten thousand) to get the 125 images for his book Rhythms of the Wild."

So don't be afraid to try new techniques and fail at them. I failed 75 times before I got something I liked. Actually, I failed 450 times and got 3 images I liked. And yes, it took me longer to get the first interesting image than the second or third. Practice works. That's why I do it as much as possible.

Nikon D3s and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. Hand held and remote triggered SB 800 and SB 900 Speedlights.

Exposures were anywhere from 1.3 seconds to four seconds, hand-held. The first picture in the set is WITHOUT THE SHUTTER DRAG!

-- Vince Hemingson

Tuesday, March 23rd - Tattoos and the Devil's Daughter

2010-03-27T02:23:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday I had the the pleasure of watching my lovely barista Taylor get a tattoo which meant a great deal to her. Her tattoo artist, Chris at Sacred Heart, was great, a truly decent guy, a talented artist, and a real student of tattoo history and culture. It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

Then, in the evening, I worked with a wonderful actor named Allison, who posed with my collection of Mexican masks in a series of shots, I came to think of as; The Devil's Daughter.

Nikon D700 and Nikon 70-180mm macro lens and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lenses.

-- Vince Hemingson

Monday, March 22 - Part II - Heroes and Villains

2010-03-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

After a wonderful morning spent shooting with Samantha in Van Dusen Gardens, all romantic linen dresses and renaissance bodices, I then geared up for my Editorial & Fashion Lighting Course at Vancouver Photo Workshops. The theme: Heroes and Villains.

After Wayne and Marc had seen some of my collection that I had brought forth for various other courses and workshops, they specifically asked me if I could step up to the plate for an evening of: Heroes and Villains.

I shall let you, faithful audience, be the final arbiter of whether or not I succeeded in my assigned mission. I will admit, that I do have a rather eclectic wardrobe...

Nikon D3s and Nikon 14-24,, f/2.8 and 24-7mm f/2.8 wide-angle zoom lenses.

-- Vince Hemingson (Hero or Villain depending upon my mood and beverage of choice...)

Monday, March 22 - Samantha in Van Dusen Gardens

2010-03-26T01:05:00.000-07:00

I shot Samantha in Van Dusen Gardens after nearly a month of messaging back and forth with her on www.ModelMayhem.com , so when we finally met face to face I felt like I knew her. Jennifer, who did the make-up (also on Model Mayhem), was an amazing camera assistant, stylist and Jill-of-all-trades. Sam and Jen kind of restored my faith in the human race. They were just wonderful to work with and completely professional. It was another example of artistic collaboration at its best. Model Mayhem is a website community for people in the fashion industry to network, and this shoot was an example of the system working at its best.

Because I had had so many negatives experiences in the past month with models not showing up, I only set aside four hours to work on this shoot. I would have loved to have spent another two or three hours shooting with sam and Jen.

Shot with a Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lenses.

Did some long exposures with the water fall. I'm becoming increasingly attracted to using a tripod to frame my shots. I shot 90% of my shots on a tripod.

-- Vince Hemingson

Sunday, March 21 - Small Strobe Workshop Redux

2010-03-26T00:52:00.000-07:00

So on Sunday, it was day two of the Small Strobes Workshop at Vancouver Photo Workshops -- VPW -- that focused on lighting using small strobes, or in the case of my beloved Nikons, the Nikon Speedlights and CLS System (Creative Lighting System).

The following is a repeat from yesterday, because it was more of the same -- wanker included.

Once again, this was a workshop with nine great fellow photographers and a tenth GWC (Guy With Camera) who was a complete pain in the ass. He walked into other people's frames, ruined other people's shots by firing off his flash from the sidelines and was generally a complete wanker. The kicker? He actually claims to teach photography! My God, the bad habits he must pass along to his poor students.

I had the great good fortune to spend some time shooting with Marc, the head of the school, and the former instructor of my Night Photography course, Rachelle Fox. Her fine art work with a Holga is just breath taking and she and Marc have both been a real source of inspiration for me in the past three months.

So every cloud has a silver lining!

And, to make things even better, over the course of the weekend, I got to work with four models with whom I think I have a pretty good repoire in terms of our working dialogue and communicating what we want to get out of a shot. They're upbeat, positive, open and just a joy to work with. Thank you Marissa, Scott, Shelly and Melanie!

Shot with my Nikon D700 and Nikon 14-24mmm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII zoom lenses. I also used four SB 800s and my SB 900 as a commander, plus my Pocket Wizards.

-- Vince Hemingson

Saturday, March 20th - The Small Strobe Workshop

2010-03-26T00:05:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I took a great workshop at Vancouver Photo Workshops -- VPW -- that focused on lighting using small strobes, or in the case of my beloved Nikons, the Nikon Speedlights and CLS System (Creative Lighting System).

Once again, this was a workshop with nine great fellow photographers and a tenth GWC (Guy With Camera) who was a complete pain in the ass. He walked into other people's frames, ruined other people's shots by firing off his flash from the sidelines and was generally a complete wanker. The kicker? He actually claims to teach photography! My God, the bad habits he must pass along to his poor students.

I had the great good fortune to spend some time shooting with Marc, the head of the school, and the former instructor of my Night Photography course, Rachelle Fox. Her fine art work with a Holga is just breath taking and she and Marc have both been a real source of inspiration for me in the past three months.

So every cloud has a silver lining!

And, to make things even better, over the course of the weekend, I got to work with four models with whom I think I have a pretty good repoire in terms of our working dialogue and communicating what we want to get out of a shot. They're upbeat, positive, open and just a joy to work with. Thank you Marissa, Scott, Shelly and Melanie!

Shot with my Nikon D700 and Nikon 14-24mmm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII zoom lenses. I also used four SB 800s and my SB 900 as a commander, plus my Pocket Wizards.

-- Vince Hemingson

Friday, March 19th - The Gallery

2010-03-25T22:48:00.000-07:00

I love art. Buy art. Would collect art, if I had the budget. Was fascinated with the challenges of trying to capture the texture and essence of a series of little portraits I have hanging in my hallway. The portraits are no more than a few inches square, by a local Vancouver artist.

The first portrait reminds me of Jane Austen, the second, Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde.

Was also trying to see just how much detail I could capture with my Apple 3Gs iPhone.

--Vince Hemingson

Thursday, March 18th - Forget Me Not

2010-03-25T22:27:00.000-07:00

After spending most of the previous week running and driving and drinking it seemed, I was looking forward to a shoot I had scheduled with a model. Counting on a model is a little bit like believing in Unicorns. Needless to say, the model failed to make an appearance, so I buried myself in catching up on other work.

Then, as the light was dying and I was on my way out to dinner, I realized i didn't have a shot for the day.

Thank God for my Apple 3Gs iPhone.

And blossoms.

-- Vince Hemingson

Wednesday, March 17th - St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-25T22:06:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, St. Patty's Day. Bless the Irish and Saint Patrick, shamrocks and harps, and pretty colleens. And Guinness, of course. And Irish whisky....

Panasonic Lumix DMC - TS1

-- Vince Hemingson

Tuesday, March 16th - The Great Kamloops Road Trip

2010-03-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

When Tuesday morning dawned, the effects of shooting late Monday night and the 20 mile run on Sunday really caught up with me. On Sunday night I had woken up at three in the morning and found I simply couldn't breath. Plus, it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I was having an asthma attack, probably triggered by running four hours on Sunday. Or, I was about to have a big jammer and die of a heart attack.

I have had exercise-induced asthma for years and usually follow a regimen of a corti-steroid and an inhaler for attacks. I ran out of my meds about three months ago. I hadn't been to see my doctor, who had moved to Kamloops, in a couple of years. Never said I was a rocket scientist, did I?

I had made a few half-hearted attempts to get a new doctor, but on meeting them I couldn't possibly imagine explaining my medical and family history to them, nor having them check my prostate. So I went without a doctor. Not really a sound plan for a nearly fifty year old fart.

When at three in the morning on Sunday I found myself unable to breath, I had attempted to make it to the bathroom, grew light-headed along the way and nearly collapsed in my hallway. Well, I actually did end up laying on the floor. But I generally have all the grace of a water buffalo and I was still stiff as hell. From the twenty-miler.

My dogs were concerned enough to start licking my face, and when one of them came dangerously close to licking my ass, I thought it was time to make a trip to Kamloops. Get some meds, and maybe a check-up wouldn't be such a bad idea coming from a family riddled with heart disease...

Of course, Kamloops was a seven hour drive, there and back. Mostly it rained.

But God sent me a sign on the way home. No, really he did! He even spelled it out for me. "Vince, here is a double rainbow. It's a sign!"

Took pictures along the way with my Panasonic Lumix DMC - TS1.

-- Vince Hemingson

Editorial Shoot, Monday, March 15

2010-03-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

The more time I spend at Vancouver Photo Workshops, the more I appreciate the emphasis they place on shooting. Don't get me wrong, I find the level of instruction and the talent level of the instructors at Langara College to be uniformly superb. But the classes are filled with too many dilettantes and there is simply not enough time spent in the studio doing what it takes to become a better photographer, which is shoot, shoot and shoot. And then shoot some more.

I wasn't wildly pleased with the results from last Monday's Editorial Shoot. Our model Marissa -- Miss Molotov -- was fabulous, but I've already shot her breathing fire on the beach. The back alley just didn't quite cut the mustard. And the viewfinder on my D3s was giving me difficulty by not seeming to focus perfectly. Note: I took the D3s into Nikon in Richmond the very next morning, and had it fixed within the week, all under warranty. I can not speak highly enough about the Nikon staff in Richmond.

Nikon D3s and Nikon D700. Shot with the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lenses.

-- Vince Hemingson

The Sunday Long Run, March 14. 2010

2010-03-25T19:39:00.000-07:00

After the Champagne, comes the Sunday Long Run. Trust me to get it bass-ackwards. Man, I can't believe how far behind I've fallen! Hopefully I'll still be able to catch up!

Part of my problems is trying to organize so many increasingly different aspects of my shoots. The costuming and set-ups have become ever more elaborate, I need to secure either studio space or a location, and then there is the great model question... Will she or won't she? Be there, that is. There are days when the Panasonic Lumix and the Apple 3Gs iPhone are a photographer's 365 Project's best friend.

So on Sunday, March 14 we ran all over Vancouver it seemed, including the Southlands. I love horses and the smell of horse manure. I am DYING to do a location shoot in a stable. Will fulfill MANY teenage fantasies.

Also saw what appeared to be a young eagle from last year feeding on the beach. And many miles through cathedral-like trails.

Panasonic Lumix DMC -TS1

- Vince Hemingson

The Pictures Are Coming, The Pictures Are Coming!

2010-03-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, they are. I have been shooting around the clock it seems. I have not missed a single day in my 365 Fifty in Photos Project. But, Wow!, it seems like a camera hasn't been out of my hand for a while.

My plan is to be caught up by Midnight this evening. Stay tuned! There are some crazy images coming....

- Vince Hemingson

There's Always Room For Champagne

2010-03-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I went for an incredibly delectable brunch, at one of my favorites restaurants, Pastis with one of my favorite friends, Nick and had one of my favorite drinks, a Kir Royale. Nick and I caught up, as we hadn't seen each other in almost five months and the sun shining through the glasses on our table was a delight to the senses, sight, sound, smell, touch and finally... taste. The Moet Chandon logo was a nice touch, I thought. The French menu, even better.

If you look closely at my Kir Royale, you can see the bubbles escaping to delight the palate. Like tasting the stars..

And Nick picked up the tab.

Apple iPhone 3Gs.

- Vince Hemingson

Pacing Is Everything

2010-03-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks go out to my good friend, PJ for the love I got in my inbox this morning;

"You haven't posted for a while. And you don't have to apologize or explain. I hope you aren't agonizing over it. Don't let it be too much of a mental burden...the pressure to post. No one will feel cheated if you spread them out a bit and simply post an interesting story about how your photo adventures are going...even if it's a story about how they're going nowhere for a while. We all love a story about human limitations. Honesty is all that's required. Thinking of you..."

Like a marathon, I suspect pacing is everything in a one a day, 365 photo project. It's bright and early this Tuesday morning and I have not missed a single 'daily shot', but blogging has taken a back seat to shooting and the huge amounts of digital workflow I have generated by taking three photography courses/workshops simultaneously; Advanced Studio Lighting, The Fine Art Nude, and Lighting For Editorial & Fashion. In the past ten days I have worked with fourteen different models!

When not in the studio, I often fall back on my Apple iPhone 3Gs and my Panasonic Lumix. I ran 20 miles (30 kilometres) on Sunday and I still haven't downloaded the Lumix!! And to be honest, training for a marathon often feels like a full-time part job in and of itself.

So, thanks all for bearing with me. The pictures are there. They're coming...

Friday, at two minutes to Midnight, and realizing I had yet to get my picture. I was desperate! I had been sitting in front of my iMac 24" monitor for what seemed like forever. I am dying to go on a trip. As I sat there stumped, up popped my screen-saver... Saved by Apple and Steve Jobs.

Apple 3Gs.

- Vince Hemingson

Window Light -NNSFW

2010-03-11T22:24:00.000-08:00

Few things are better than window light, when speaking of ambient light. Light painting is still handing me my ass on a platter.

I do love working with a tripod and long exposures. Played with depth of field, from wide open at f/2.8, a;; the way to f/22.

Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm lens.

- Vince Hemingson

So Ya Be a Photographer!?

2010-03-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night we had our first photo critique of the term for Advanced Studio Photography. As the images flashed by on the projector I began to wonder why most of the students in my class had even bothered to enroll in the class. Perhaps they felt a great need to throw away $500. Certainly it was money wasted by spending it on course fees for Advanced Studio Lighting. As photos that were supposed to be our class and term assignments flashed by on the screen I was first astonished, and then shocked. It was amateur hour. It was a grotesque. It was a photographic travesty.

For the record, up until now, I have always looked forward to the photo reviews and image critiques in my classes at Langara. In Basic and Intermediate Digital Photography and the Introduction to Studio Lighting, there were many talented photographers with inspiring imagination, unique visions and a real thirst to better their art. There was almost none of that on display or in evidence last night. The work submitted was mostly shoddy, poorly planned and conceived and amateurishly executed. These people were not photographers, they were butchers! And damn poor butchers at that.

As Greg Blue critiqued the work, the rest of the class was subjected to the most incredible litany of whining, sniveling and excuse making I have ever heard. People blamed their poor shots on bad equipment, poverty and even -- yes, even -- on a lack of intelligence. How else do you tell the instructor with a straight face, "I didn't understand the assignment", or, "I tried to fake that shot"!!!

When Greg suggested that re-shoots were in order, and that people would need to re-submit work, the moaning and wailing that went up was incredible. Worse than that, we wasted valuable class time that we will never get back on people who don't give the slightest damn about whether or not they improve as photographers and artists, either technically or visually. These future wedding hacks are the same people who come to class late and want to leave early. They bitch about having to take shots outside of class or book studio time. These people shouldn't be allowed to own cameras. And they certainly shouldn't be allowed in a photography program. They are fakers, con artists and miscreants. There should be some kind of Photo Gulag that they could be shipped to so that they could end their days blaming their predicament on their equipment...

Cactus with my Apple 3Gs iPhone. I'm exhausted. Off to bed.

-- Vince Hemingson

I WON!!!

2010-03-10T17:36:00.000-08:00

Some things just make you smile, and this was one of them. The other was this e-mail that just showed up in my box.

Vince,

You entered our Reporters contest & you WON!! You’re very skilled with a camera, and you’ve won a Canon Rebel XSi.

You can come to the station anytime to pick it up; bring photo ID with you. We’re open Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5pm.

For our records, I need your phone number.

Aaron Buckley

Promotion Director, Classic Rock 101

Man, I am having a STELLAR day so far. And I haven't even taken a picture yet!

These are some of my Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic photos on Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27599863@N04/sets/72157623428956268/

-- Vince Hemingson

Rock 'n Roll!

2010-03-09T22:21:00.000-08:00

Had a great Editorial & Fashion Workshop Shoot on Monday night, courtesy of the Vancouver Photo Workshops. I love shooting in Wayne's classes.

I'm even having a hard time choosing my favorite image from the night!

Last two days have been rather crazy keeping caught up with all the shooting I have been doing. Processing all the images has been a huge undertaking.

On Sunday, my first 8GB Card went missing from my photography bag. It was zipped up, but in the course of trying to get organized for the big Nikon Camera, Lens and Teleconverter Extravaganza, it somehow went missing. Or it walked off. There was a little gear envy in evidence on the weekend, which really actually sort of pisses me off, because my first impulse is to be generous with my equipment and my props.

The worst part is that the first part of my shoot was part of my Portfolio Assignment for Langara College -- Light Painting. Then I lost all the images from my 'Aviator' shoot, which entailed a huge honking fan to blow air, leather jacket, helmet, goggles and a silk scarf and the piece de resistance, a beautiful six foot wooden propeller. Six hundred images -- gone.

Shot with my Nikon D700 and Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 wide-angle zoom lens.

- Vince Hemingson

Nikon Camera, Lens and Teleconverter Extravaganza

2010-03-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, fellow-Nikonian, Rick Hulbert and I pooled our cameras, our lenses and our teleconverters, and over the course of five and a half hours -- yes, five and a half hours -- we configured a staggering number of combinations.

Oh, yeah. Did I mention we'd already spent eight hours at the Vancouver Photo Workshops Nude Seminar? Rick and I were helped by two other professional photographers and one stunning model. The shoot was done in the Vancouver Photo Workshop's studio with a concrete floor. Major kudos to Marc Koegel for his participation.

http://www.vancouverphotoworkshops.com/

Our set-up consisted of mounting the camera bodies and lenses on a Gitzo 5 series carbon-fiber tripod fitted with a Wimberley Version II gimbal head. The tripod was weighted with sandbags, its position marked, and it was positioned exactly sixty feet (we measured) from the model's position, which was also marked.

Every camera, a D3, a D3s, and D3x was set to neutral, and we triggered each shot with the mirror up and cable release with a one-second delay. We took two shots in raw with every combination. Every shot was done at 200 ISO, at f/11, and the sync speed of the camera. We used a single 16 GB card for every camera. We used four teleconverters, the Nikon 1.4, 1.7 and the last two versions of the 2.0.

The lenses tested were Version I and II of the 70-200mm VR f/2.8 (all TC's tested at 200mm), the 200mm f/2, the 300mm f/2.8 VR, the 200-400mm f/4 VR (TC's tested at 200, 300 and 400), the 400mm f/2.8 VR, the 500mm f/4 VR and the 600mm f/4 VR. Above is an iPhone image of the line-up.

Because of the staggering number of images involved in this test (and the potential bandwidth usage involved in people perusing the images), I am going to create a Gallery with full-size, uncropped images on my home site, www.vanishingtattoo.com. I'll post the Link to the Gallery when we have the images up. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, check out our lovely model, Marissa from the photo shoot earlier in the weekend.

iPhone and Nikons and... you get the picture!

-- Vince Hemingson

What a Day! Not Safe For Work!

2010-03-08T16:08:00.000-08:00

What a day! Surrounded by beautiful, naked people, most of them women. And my photo seminar colleagues found no shortage of amusement in my propensity to cloth my models in all manner of strange outfits. Of course, the bastards could then hardly wait to pooch my shots and borrow my gear...

Nikon D700 and D3s. Shot on a variety of lenses, mostly the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and Nikon 70-200 VRII f/2.8 zooms.

Check out my Flickr account for more.

- Vince Hemingson

Friday (It Seemed Like the Thirteenth)

2010-03-08T15:54:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes, I know, I am three days AWOL! I undertook two huge, epic projects all in one weekend. A photo workshop on the nude and a HUGE Nikon camera, lens and teleconverter comparison. And I was forced to download some three thousand images on Saturday night after twelve hours of shooting and pick five of the best to be critiqued.

All day Friday was filled with preparation for the weekend.

My shot of the day was of a painting I have had for some twenty years, 'Icarus Descending'. God, I love this piece of art. I have spent thousands of hours gazing upon it. It haunts me a little. Makes my heart ache. All the things that good art should do. It reminds me ceaselessly of the perils of hubris, an affliction of character of to which I am absurdly prone.

I have lost track of the number of people over the years who have told me that -- God forbid, should I die -- they would love to get their mitts on this painting. And these are my close friends. Many of whom I have slept with. It has occurred to me on occasion that I must be so bad in bed, such a disappointing lover, that there are significant numbers of my paramours who feel rather strongly that they should be compensated for their sacrifice with the most beloved piece in my art collection...

I can assure you that this notion gives me much pause for significant thought. Of course, then the hubris kicks in and I think, maybe I was such an unbelievably sensitive, giving, caring and passionate lover that they'd really like the painting so that they could gaze upon it and remember me always... This is what I'm talking about. Thank God for the generosity of women. It never ceases but to amaze me.

Nikon D90 and Lensbaby Composer with a wide-angle attachment.

- Vince Hemingson

Dog Walking

2010-03-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord, for dog walking. An evening shoot fell apart. Plans change, life goes on, thank God I carry my iPhone everywhere.

Trees are blooming everywhere. No pollinators to speak of, as in no buzzing bees and bumblebees. So the boy blossoms and the girl blossoms are not hooking up. Only time will tell what this lack of pollination will mean. Can't be good though...

Apple iPhone 3Gs.

- Vince Hemingson

Light It Up!

2010-03-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

Our class last night in Langara's Advanced Studio Lighting course was 'Light Painting'. Most of my fellow classmates had never tried this before, but a few of us had been experimenting quite a bit and I think the results for a classroom setting were quite a revelation for people. Would have preferred to shoot in a studio, though! Peter was an amazing lighting guy and stood in a model when -- Oh great shock, one of our models didn't turn up! -- and he did a stellar job. Leala, the model who did turn up, was fabulous and a great actress. She totally got into the spirit of the moment. A total professional who I'd recommend to anyone.

What started out as a class that seemed like it was going to be pretty boring, ended up turning into a creative fest where nobody wanted to leave at the end.

Using colored gels yielded some interesting shots, as did a little $3.79 red laser pointer I got...

Shot on a tripod, most exposures twenty seconds to two minutes, with a cable release on bulb.

Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm /f/2.8 zoom lens. I LOVE THIS LENS!

If you want to see the full shoot, please go check out my Flickr Set.

- Vince Hemingson

Street Light

2010-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

More experimenting with ambient light -- in this case street lights -- and using long exposures with models. I'm really intrigued by the visual possibilities offered by this combination of image variables. And I was a little pissed that the leaky condo next door -- see huge white tarp -- kind of ruined the aesthetics of the building lines for me. But of course, this just me an excuse to go back and re-shoot.

Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm zoom lens.

- Vince Hemingson

Finding True North

2010-03-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

After a attending a workshop in Fashion & Editorial work, I spent several hours experimenting with shooting through different glass objects.

Still stiff from Sunday's 20K run.

Still pretty pumped from some of the Olympic shots I got.

Still a little bummed out by the ones I did,'t.

Still sounds like life.

- Vince Hemingson

A Golden Day For Canada

2010-03-01T08:12:00.000-08:00

This should have been an utterly amazing series of photos. But it isn't. It's what you get left with when people who make commitments to you -- don't. And none of this was TFP. So I'm out not only the photograph I wanted but hundreds of dollars of time-sensitive subject material.

At least marathoners are reliable. Marathoners know what it takes to be successful. It takes training and showing up and living up to the commitments you make. Marathoners respect the race, and respect the distance. They have to, because the marathon is not for wannabes and pretenders.

"Everything you ever needed to know about yourself you can learn in 26.2 miles."

You shouldn't be allowed to be an assistant or a model unless you have run a marathon. In fact, they should be forced to run a marathon!!

Panasonic Lumix on my Sunday morning marathon training Long Run.

- Vince Hemingson

Time Has No Meaning

2010-03-01T07:58:00.000-08:00

Not since the film business, have I ever encountered so many flakes as can be found in the world of photography. Enough to fill a cereal box in Vancouver alone. I have to wonder when, in the course of human evolution, creative came to be synonymous with unreliable. You don't get to be "eccentric" or "idiosyncratic" in my book unless you are either other-worldly talented or stinking rich. So far, I haven't met anybody in Vancouver who fits those bills...

Nikon D90 and Lensbaby Fish-eye.

- Vince Hemingson

The Ryan Kesler Album

2010-02-27T20:38:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a day Friday was! From the crack of dawn on (okay, ten in the morning), until almost Midnight, I was taking pictures. Nearly 2500 to be exact. Two 16 GB cards....

I was shooting in multiple Olympic venues and I was shooting with my Nikon D700 and Nikon 300mm f/2.8 VR and new Nikon 2.0 teleconverter. In every venue I was allowed to set up and shoot until such time as the accredited media, ie, the photographers, noticed me and my gear in the stands and demanded to know why I was NOT confined to the shooting areas like they were! Who was that damned imposter!

And each time, some lovely volunteer would come along and apologize profusely for the boors in the official media, and whisper to me that if I just followed them quietly they could find another place for me to shoot.

These were the hockey photos, doh! Ryan Kesler -- #17 -- although playing for the USA Team, also plays for the local Vancouver Canucks. Hence, my focus on young Mr. Kesler. Keep your eye on the puck!!

Shot with my Nikon D700 and Nikon 300mm f/2.8 VR and new Nikon 2.0 teleconverter.

- Vince Hemingson

Olympic Fireworks

2010-02-26T01:05:00.000-08:00

The Olympic Fireworks at LiveCity, Yaletown. The band kinda sucked -- seriously, Guns 'n Roses covers!? -- but not a bad little display of sparklers! And the water cannons were actually pretty fantastic.

Now, off to bed for a big day tomorrow.

Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens.

- Vince Hemingson

Dust to Dust

2010-02-25T13:27:00.000-08:00

For me, in my photography at least, with hard won greater technical proficiency comes greater artistic ambitions. I begin to think that maybe I can actually capture the images I have in my mind's eye. I have long been fascinated by bones and always enjoyed biology and zoology as a student. Over they years I have picked up many odd bits and pieces of skeletons. I love skulls. Bones tell stories. Death is coming for all of us. Dust to dust...

Last night I spent three hours fiddling with multiple subjects and at least a half different camera set-ups. I took a hundred and sixty exposures. None match this damned picture I have in my head...

This crumbling, decaying set of vertebrae was the closest I got... ...sigh*

Shot with my Nikon D700 and a Lensbaby Composer. On a tripod, long exposure, and light painting. I probably screwed myself with so many variables. Less is more. I have a love affair with the Lensbaby, but I struggle to focus it in low light and it goes OUT of focus very easily. Live and learn.

- Vince Hemingson

Winter Winds

2010-02-24T13:23:00.000-08:00

It actually snowed during the Winter Olympics! In Vancouver, the temperature dropped to a few degrees and a stiff wind made it seem even chillier. I was thinking of catching a medal ceremony, but the prairie boy in my heart couldn't miss a sudden-death, must win game for the Canadian men's hockey team. So the trouncing of Germany took precedence. Afterwards, I went downtown to check out some photo ops, but by eight o'clock Vancouver was eerily quiet.

I am kind of resigning myself to the fact that I probably won't get a chance to shoot any athletes in action. I must confess that I am utterly torn between loving the heart and effort of many of the athlete's, especially in the fringe sports where most of the athletes dedicate themselves to their pursuit of excellence with passion and heart and no expectation of financial reward because of their love for what they do, versus the increasingly crass commercialization of the Vancouver Olympics. Many of the athletes are inspiring. Much of the corporate posturing and most of their advertising borders on the obscene as they desperately attempt to recoup the idiotic amounts of money they paid the IOC to badge their products with the five little rings.

And it's almost nauseating to listen to the Canadian Olympic officials, whose programs like "Own the Podium", fly in the face of the very ideals of Olympic sportsmanship and athletic integrity and character, and even worse, go against the very grain of the kind of conduct which most Canadians pride themselves in displaying.

Nikon D700 and D90 with a Lensbaby Composer.

- Vince Hemingson

Spring Daffodils

2010-02-23T00:56:00.000-08:00

This bouquet of fresh daffodils came from my front yard. An ode to an early spring...

Nikon D700 and Lensbaby Composer and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens. Long exposures and some light painting.

Comments? Favorite bouquets? Personally, I sway in the direction of number three...

- Vince Hemingson

Leg Weary

2010-02-22T18:10:00.000-08:00

We ran 28K in the marathon clinic on Sunday morning. Our route took us past the Olympic Cauldron -- this description always makes me think of the witches in Macbeth -- along the waterfront and over the Cambie Street Bridge where we could look out over False Creek and the Olympic Athlete's Village. Aside from the fact that the people of Vancouver are going to be paying this off for the next thirty years, it was beautiful. The day, I mean. The amount of blossoms out, the cherry and apple trees, all of the bulbs, tulips, daffodils, irises and crocuses, is just staggering. I pray we don't get a late frost.

Then, after a hearty brunch and a quick hosing off, I spent several hours scouting shooting locations and talking with stylists and hair and make-up people for an upcoming shoot. I made it home in time for the Canada-USA men's olympic hockey game, which was a goal tending and defense debacle for our side. A few beers later, a little extra strength Advil for the knees and it was off to bed. I didn't even download my camera until today....

Shot on my Panasonic Lumix.

- Vince Hemingson

Dreams of the Sea

2010-02-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

All day Saturday I ran around Vancouver looking for an interesting new way to picture the 2010 Winter Olympics. I can now confirm I am NOT a crowd person. The weather was absolutely spectacular. The crowds were simply enormous. And mostly colorful and mostly friendly. But mostly just milling around, looking for someone to participate in the Olympic spirit. And the transit system has been overloaded with yahoos coming in from the suburbs. These were perhaps the largest crowds I've ever seen assembled in downtown Vancouver.

However, the biggest problem with the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics is that VANOC has utterly failed in their primary responsibility, which is to move people efficiently through the sites and attractions. Security is a joke. True, I have been stopped and questioned by police and security personnel no fewer than seven times, but NOT once have they checked my huge camera bag. Not even when going through a security check point and a bag check!

Still, the line-ups to get into any venue will deter all but the most obsessed. I am long past the age or the inclination to stand around with a digit up my orifice for more than an hour. And most of the people I speak with will admit that the vast majority of the attractions you stand in line for hours to see are a major yawn. And hideously commercial. Prices for food and drink are outright usury. It's price gouging on an epic scale.

Two major exceptions. Groups with wheelchairs and baby strollers seem to be handled with remarkable and laudable efficiency. And everyone has been impressed with the number and variety of cultural entertainment.

Visually, I have always thought that the Inukshuk was a terrible logo for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, and that the Olympic Mascots were terrible Japanese anime rip-offs, but hey, I'm not six years old. On the other hand, I think the actual green and blue Vancouver Winter Olympic graphics that are all over town are sensational. I think they are wonderful designs and they have been used in interesting and imaginative ways. And I am a huge fan of the Olympic Cauldron which house the Olympic Flame. Of course VANOC has mishandled just about every single aspect of the way they have handled crowd control around the Flame, but the Cauldron is beautiful, day or night. Kudos to the designers.

One of my shooting partners came over on Saturday night and we set up to do some light painting. But almost exactly like me on my initial attempt, it took Maciej the better part of three hours and about three dozen long exposures before he started to get the feel for the technique.

Facing 28K in the morning, I kicked Maciej out at eleven and prepared to take another set of shots before my day ran out. I was mostly totally unimpressed with my earlier shots in the day. None of them rose above snapshots or any one of the tens of thousands of Olympic shots you;ll see. Boring!

And the light painting was doing it for me, so I tried a straight composition shot with some images that attracted my eye. What you se in the end is, Dreams of the Sea.

Starfish and urchin shells. I wan entranced by how my coffee table reminded me both of a dock and a sandy beach where it was blurred out of focus.

Taken with my D700 and a Lensbaby Composer.

-Vince Hemingson

2010-02-22T11:29:00.000-08:00

Friday Night at the Roundel Cafe with The Film Industry

Wow! Talk about your brain cramps. I actually thought I posted this on Friday night in the wee small hours. I took about 600 pictures -- in part because I was doing huge numbers of long exposures with moving vehicles in the background and sometimes you just get what you get.

But it took hours to go through all the images. Then I posted Galleries everywhere but my Fifty in Photos Blog, Facebook, Flickr, you name it! Doh!

Shot on my Nikon D700 and 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens. Lots of different flash diffusers on my SB 800.

I love shooting the band, as all three venues I've been in so far have all had completely different light set-ups. It usually takes me a good hour to figure out what the hell I am doing and then -- Wham! -- I start to get all kinds of crazy ideas. Of course that may just be the effects of the third and fourth pints...

And I think listening to the music actually helps me get into my own creative groove. Love it!

- Vince Hemingson

Olympic Lemmings and Line-ups

2010-02-19T00:27:00.000-08:00

I went out bright and early this morning to spend the day taking in some of the Olympic venues and highlights. I wanted to see the Olympic medals at the Canadian Mint, check out the Leonard de Vinci exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery, sample the zip-line at Robson Square and gaze upon the Olympic Flame in beautiful clear sunlight down at the waterfront. Didn't happen. I was home before Noon and did none of the above.

How so, you ask? The lemmings in the line-ups. VANOC's ineptitude in planning has already reached legendary levels of ludicrousness. Levels that are being debated about internationally.

At ten o'clock in the morning the line-ups were as follows.

Canadian Mint and Olympic Medal display - three hours and forty-five minutes. Not!

Leonardo de Vinci Exhibitat the Art Gallery - three hours. Not!

Robson Square Zip Line - six and a half hours! Who in their right mind stands in line for six and a half hours?

Olympic Flame Observation Deck - who knows, but at least a thousand people. Not me, baby!

The above is ridiculousness beyond belief. I've almost given up trying to secure reasonably priced tickets to ANY sporting event. I just can't justify the price of a ticket above twenty or thirty dollars. If you wanted hockey tickets or any other of the big name, sexy, popular Olympic sports, you're talking hundreds and hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

But the day itself was gorgeous and I had a great walk. Olympic stuff? Not so much. Ineptitude I saw firsthand? Truly of Olympian proportions, I will grant you that!

Shots taken with my D700 and 24-70mm zoom lens.

- Vince Hemingson

Cancelled Due to Stupidity

2010-02-19T00:08:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Vancouver regularly gets visits from what we politely call the bridge and tunnel crowd. These are the morons and neanderthals who live OUTSIDE of Vancouver and travel into the big city with the bright lights because their lives in the 'burbs are so intellectually and artistically challenged. They can usually be found wearing raggedy-ass hockey shirts -- the Surrey tuxedo -- and stinking of beer. They have low foreheads and by ten in the evening they are generally braying and drooling, or drooling and braying. Sporting events are a big draw, and with every Vancouver Canucks or BC Lions game, our fair city is inundated with troglodytes. Afterwards, as part of their mating rituals, they stage a riot. Or stab each other. If they're from Richmond they street race home and usually run over one or two pedestrians.

Cultural events are also a big draw, and Vancouver events like the Sea Festival or fireworks can usually be counted on to bring in a horde of mouth-breathers. Woo--hoo! More public drunkenness and brawling! We in Vancouver just love these crazy lovable louts!

And the Olympics, you ask? The Olympics are a big candle to these fuzzy-minded moths. Both sporting events -- hockey being the major draw, AND free cultural events, such as open air concerts at FREE venues like LiveCity.

Well, on Wednesday evening, a herd of these idiots surged towards the stage as Alexisonfire was playing and caused a crowd barrier to collapse, injuring 19 people, nearly a dozen of whom were sent off to the hospital in ambulances. VANOC immediately cancelled the concert and nightly fireworks.

Why do I write this? Because I foolishly decided to spend the evening at said venue and hoped to film the fireworks. Needless to say, it didn't happen... ...sigh*

Instead of red lights flashing and bombs bursting in the air, we got ambulance lights. I like this shot a lot because it is so reminiscent of these Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics -- badly needing a wheelchair.

Shot with my D700 and Nikon 24-70mm zoom lens.

- Vince Hemingson

The Wet Winter Olympics

2010-02-16T01:49:00.000-08:00

After a gloriously sunny, and incongruously warm Sunday afternoon, Monday evening followed up with another "Wet Coast" winter weather staple. It was cold, wet and miserable, with gusts of wind driving the famous West Coast "liquid sunshine' sideways in torrents. After numerous public complaints and condemnations about the amount of security both shrouding and surrounding the Olympic Flame that was lit by no less than the Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky, VANOC came to its senses and peeled enough of the security barriers off of the ten-foot high chain-link fences to allow people to not only glimpse the flames, but have their pictures taken in front of the impressive structure.

Even as the hour approached midnight and the rain continued to come down in buckets, throngs of people lined up to see the Olympic Flame. It was a rather stirring sight.

Pictures taken with a Nikon D700 and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens.

- Vince Hemingson Reporting!

North Shore Vibe and The Fire Breathers

2010-02-15T00:39:00.000-08:00

Ran an absolutely fabulous 25K (14.5 miles) on Sunday morning, over three glorious hours. Took along my Panasonic Lumix for the run and got pictures of a bob-tailed (I kid you not) raccoon and a trumpeter swan and Melissa's first half-marathon (13.1 miles). Pictures still to be downloaded.

Then I brunched, napped, and went to North Vancouver's Lonsdale Quay to shoot Vancouver's skyline from another angle and to meet up with Miss Marissa Molotov, a Fire Breather. Not kidding. Go to -- www.MissMolotov.ca -- Shot five hundred frames over five hours. These are just some samples. Many more to go through with proper diligence.

Shot on a Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lenses. Will want to do, "The Fire Breathers", or is that, "The Fire Eaters"?, again. Getting the exposure right was crazy! And then the Police came to see what we were doing. No, really. Again, not kidding!

- Vince Hemingson

Now off to some well-earned sleep....

Saturday, In the Park

2010-02-15T00:14:00.000-08:00

I think it was the 13th of February... Crazy day. Catching up on Friday, shooting a portrait for a friend, eating with more friends and then tucking into bed early so that I'd be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for 25K in the morning!

Shot the Saxony House at the Vancouver Rowing Club.

D700 and Nikon 200-400mm lens with Nikon 1.4 teleconverter. Ten second exposure.

- Vince Hemingson

When Pictures Are Pieces of Our Lives

2010-02-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

Two things happened to me yesterday that came entirely out of the blue. There were a few other things that were out of the ordinary yesterday, but these two things were complete surprises, beyond my imagination when the day started.

The first was when I was walking my dogs at the crack of dawn. I was headed out for a 10K run and I needed to get a cup of coffee and for Cactus and Slim to empty their bladders. It was drizzling. A typical rainy Vancouver winter day that just happened to be the opening day of the 2010 Winter Olympics. As I headed to my usual coffee shop and my usual morning triple Americano, I spotted the unusual. From a sagging, soggy, sorry-looking brown cardboard box, snapshots were spilling out into the rain. As something of a back alley snoop, a trash picker and a voyeur, I had to look closer. There was a photo album as well.

The box contained all the odds and ends that get tossed out at the end of the month by people moving, but these looked like the folks in question were in a hurry. The album looked like it had been treasured once. I was struck by the images of a woman in her late teens, early twenties at the oldest, who was dressed in clothes that dated her to the late seventies, maybe the early eighties. She would have been a contemporary of yours truly. As in most family album photos, she was happy and smiling. Within a few pages, she was pregnant. Beautiful, poignant shots of her with a big belly and a shining face. Not many of whomever the father was. A single mother? Shortly there were shots of her with a newborn baby. In the hospital. At home. A little girl. Shots of her breast-feeding. For the first time, I felt like a voyeur, an uninvited guest at a party, a trespasser on someone else memories. These pictures were so personal and so private and so filled with love that it hurt to see them thrown out in the trash. These pictures were anything but garbage.

As the album progressed through time, the pictures grew more interesting. As time and pages passed, the little girl got older and became a stunning beauty. I mean, this little girl became gorgeous. And in her late teens, or early twenties at the oldest, she became pregnant. Like her Mother before her, she had a great swollen belly, and a happy, beaming face. Their was a boy. As handsome as she beautiful. He wore a military uniform. His face was placed up close on her belly. He beamed. She beamed.

She was in the hospital. The baby was born. A happy couple with a new child. Pictures of her breast-feeding, the shock I felt at seeing how the entire cycle of life was replicated from one generation to the next in the pages of a photo album. It was eery. And then the pictures of the boy in uniform, the handsome young man, were torn out of the album. And the beautiful girl with the new baby was pictured by herself and then the album stopped and I was looking at it in the rain.

I was torn. I felt like I was reading someone's diary, their most personal innermost thoughts. Beyond voyeurism, it felt like an intrusion and a violation. These pictures were irreplaceable. How could they be thrown out? What kind of personal pain and suffering and anger would make someone throw out pictures like these? There were three generations of a family in this album.

Knowing I still had to walk my dogs, and get my coffee and meet a friend for my 10K run I left the album behind. I wish I hadn't. But then again, why would I rescue it? To what purpose and what end? I can't get those pictures, or those people out of my mind. Who were they, what happened, how did it end?

I raced home to get ready to meet Ewa for our run. I grabbed my new Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 because it's both water-proof and shock-proof, my new running camera. I had charged the battery, but it had no memory card, so I rummaged in my desk for one. There, among the dust mice was an old card. I put it in the camera and was shocked to see it had a couple of dozen images on it. A friend's birthday party I had completely forgotten about. My God, it was like being transported back in time.

I took the Lumix and went running with Ewa. A great run. Maybe the best 10K I've had in over a year. I took pictures that will remind me for the rest of my life that it was the opening day of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. For myself, and Ewa and her family, perhaps treasured keepsakes and vivid memories. But I couldn't shake the vision of that discarded family photo album and those heart-breaking images of those beautiful young women and their babies tossed out in the rain. Mother and daughters, three generations, lost in the garbage.

Today's theme is Canadian red, Olympic Mittens

- Vince Hemingson

PS happy Birthday, Marlena

Still Life

2010-02-11T23:34:00.000-08:00

The model I had arranged to photograph this evening bailed on me, despite lots of communication and a confirmation this morning about the time and place we were to meet. Lovely. Go to Plan B.

So, I worked on my still life project for a few hours this evening. The idea is to do a still life, but to use light painting as the light source. I took forty-four pictures, with no exposure of less than thirty seconds and several of more than two minutes. As usual, I was far too ambitious with my initial set-up. Too complex, with too many objects. And of course I obstinately refused to budge from my concept.

Shot with a Nikon D700 on a tripod with a cable-release, using a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens. ISO 200 and f/22.

First picture was a thirty second exposure.

Second exposure was ninety seconds, a blast of ambient light to start and then an LED flashlight.

My feeling -- indeed my suspicion -- is that my class assignment still life is probably going to take somewhere in the neighborhood of four or five hours to pull off before I have an image that I am happy enough with to submit for a mark.

- Vince Hemingson

Everybody's On Their Own

2010-02-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

Well, it was bound to happen. It was in fact, probably inevitable. Not that a day would come when I wouldn't take a photo. Because that's really a slam dunk. You press a button. Even a monkey can do that. A good picture is another matter entirely. That requires work and planning and foresight and dedication and commitment and serendipity and even a little luck. But the day would inevitably come when I would shoot nothing but crap and be loathe to post. And that's what happened yesterday. Despite taking 150 frames. And having a plan. And a destination shoot. So, last night at almost one in the morning I said, "To Hell with it", after dicking around with my pictures for over an hour, and went to bed. And I was less than pleased. Seriously irked.

Yesterday, I let circumstances get the best of me. Mostly because -- strangely for me -- I was too nice and too kind and far too accommodating.

Let me be frank here. Photographers are apparently a lot like car salesmen and the film industry. It attracts a LOT of the kinds of people who have failed at everything else in their life and then, desperately they think to themselves, what can I do for a career move next? These people think that to be a photographer, all you have to do is pick up a camera, and maybe, and this is actually a bit of a stretch on my part, they then might take a class. These people are not photographers. They are GWC's. An expression I had never heard before and that recently had to be explained to me. GWC = "Guy With Camera". You know this person. Have probably seen more than a few examples. Perhaps at your cousins wedding. The fact that they get paid to snap pictures boggles my mind. Guy is irrelevant. GWC is gender neutral. Incompetence is gender neutral. Interestingly, I would much rather partner up with women over men when it comes to a photo shoot. They tend to be much better organized by far and they care more about the results. Women care about quality. I am growing tired of geeks with cameras. Geeks are nearly always guys. GWC's...

After nearly two years of taking classes and workshops and seminars with people who either claim to be photographers or who profess that their sole dream in life is that they desperately WANT to be photographers, I am still astonished by how seldom they ACTUALLY take pictures. Or even DESIRE to take pictures. Or think about what it takes to create a GOOD photograph....

On two minutes notice I can be ready shoot anything. I mean ANYTHING. I could leave for freaking Africa on two minutes notice. I could shoot Cindy Crawford in the nude in two minutes. Bugs, birds, or bat shit. Long lens, wide-angle lens or macro lens. I mean, I am ready to go, baby! In the past week I have worked closely with nearly a dozen different fellow shooters, observed three times that number in action, although I hesitate to call them that - shooters, as the vast majority can't seem to get out of their own way. As in, can you focus your camera, buddy?

It's winter time in Vancouver. It is what it is. Yet I've lost track of the number of times I've heard the following in the past month.... "I don't like the cold". "I don't like the rain", "I want to go home", "I didn't bring the right gear", "I have to get up in the morning", "I'm not inspired", "I don't know what I want".

Photography is not for sissies, the weak of heart, or the uncommitted.

Next time, if you don't bring your tripod, the right lenses or a pair of gloves, too bad. And your not using mine. Moreover, you're clearly not smart enough to be a photographer. At least a good one, in my opinion. And you probably shouldn't be allowed to breed either.

The two pieces of crap I've posted were shot on my Nikon D3s and Nikon 200-400mm f/4 with a Nikon 1.4x Teleconverter. ISO was 12,800. I didn't use a tripod because, well, because of the preceding...

I still think this was a great idea for a shoot. To take pictures of people decorating their balconies in the West End with Olympic Ring lights and there are lots of them. Doesn't matter how good your gear is or what Ken Rockwell says, you still need a tripod to get a good night shot with a long lens.

Enjoy the crappy snaps.

I promise to be happier tomorrow.

Being bitter and holding a grudge is a little like drinking a cup of poison and hoping it kills someone else.

- Vince Hemingson

Light Up The Sky

2010-02-10T02:28:00.000-08:00

I keep getting drawn back to the Olympic searchlights as I think of new ways and new angles to shoot them.

Nikon D700 and Nikon D3s, with Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 wide-angle zoom, Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII zoom with Nikon 1.4x teleconverter.

I have to run 10K in the morning, so off to bed. Another couple of hundred shots to go through in the morning...

It was cold enough to actually think they might be able to make snow in the mountains.

On the seawall I ran into two photographers here for the Olympics, one of them the official photographer for Oakley (?), an Aussie and an American up from California. We chatted about good vantage points and I showed them my Cypress Bowl shot. Needless to say, I think they're heading up there tomorrow night! Both of them were in total awe of Vancouver as a city to shoot in. They were at a loss for words to describe how beautiful they thought Vancouver was for photographing. Made me proud of my little city!

- Vince Hemingson

Olympic Searchlights Redux

2010-02-09T00:54:00.000-08:00

Give the people what they want! Good enough for PT Barnum and good enough for Vince Hemingson. The Olympic Searchlights -- www.vectorialvancouver.net -- got such a huge positive response that I returned to the scene of the crime this evening. With friends!

Again, shot with my Nikon D700 and 14-24mm f/2.8 wide-angle zoom lens and 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens.

Lots of hitting our subjects with multiple strobes and light painting with multi-coloured gels.

I thought some of the shots looked like great one-sheets for a sci-fi festival, a la Blade Runner....

Enjoy!

- Vince Hemingson

The Bat Signal, Olympic Style

2010-02-08T03:13:00.000-08:00

A theme of this year's 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver is lights. Lots and lots of lights. White lights. Bright lights. Many brightly coloured neon lights. There is even a website devoted to a "light show installation" -- www.vectorialvancouver.net -- where people can go (this means you) and even dream up your own light show. I guess the idea behind the "vectorial" is that the search beams blasting off into space cross over one another, creating criss-cross patterns of intersecting vectors of light. Or something like that. It is pretty.

Another theme is apparently dragging out every piece of public art ever conceived of in Vancouver and putting it out on display. Some is good. A few pieces are wonderful. Most of it is not. Frankly, I may put this photography thing to one side and concentrate on my large conceptual pieces.... I did enjoy light painting the latest new piece, which reminds me of a wave curling over as it hits a beach. Lovely.

Shot with my Nikon D700 and 14-24mm f/2.8 wide-angle zoom lens and 24mm-70mmm f/2.8 zoom lens.

ISO 200, exposures f/16-22, thirty seconds to three minutes.

Any favorites?

- Vince Hemingson

Sunny Saturdays and Spring Flowers

2010-02-06T23:13:00.000-08:00

I was out with my camera for about four hours today, some of it for pleasure, some of it for a friend's business. It was a glorious sunny Saturday and spring was in the air.

Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens.

20K in the morning, so I am off to bed.

-Vince Hemingson

Heron Chronicles

2010-02-05T16:47:00.000-08:00

Van Dusen Gardens. Rodney the Heron, reflected in the pond.

Nikon D700 and 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II zoom lens with Nikon 1.4 teleconverter.

More later.

- Vince Hemingson